The ‘Gen Z stare’ is a real thing and Millennials aren’t impressed
It's only natural for each generation and its predecessor to share some differences.
However, when it comes to Gen Z (those born between 1997 to 2012) and Millennials (who were welcomed into the world between 1981 and 1996), it's safe to say that there are some pretty notable cultural chasms.
From the infamous skinny jeans and crop top debate to the rife winged eyeliner slander, all the way through to our attitudes to work and even our vastly differing habits on Pornhub - it seems the list of major cultural differences between the two generations is always growing.
And the latest one revolves around what has been coined the 'Gen Z stare' and Millennials have been left divided when it comes to their verdicts on whether the behaviour is 'rude' or simply a 'natural reflex' to stupidity in the retail, hospitality and service industry.
Advert
What is the 'Gen Z stare'?
Well, simply put, it's all down to how the younger generation interacts with others, particularly through staring at them instead of speaking.
For those who don't fall into the Gen Z category, they reckon it's merely the inability of younger people to make small talk and speak to others in certain situations, like serving a customer.
Going down a pop psychology route, some go as far as to declare that the 'Gen Z stare' is a product of Covid, a period of recent history which saw many young people miss significant chunks of their formative social development years as they were in lockdown - something which could have left them without the tools to learn basic skills of courtesy toward others.
"Social skills take thousands and thousands of hours to develop and adolescence is a critical period for developing social skills," Dr Jean Twenge told the NY Times, "And Gen Z has spent much less time with their peers in person during that critical stage."
Other factors like the advent of vaping, increased social media socialising and 'brainrot' TikTok content have also been labelled as culprits behind the supposedly disrespectful behaviour pattern.
However, members of Gen Z maintain that the stare is what they do when a person doesn’t realise how 'stupid' they may be coming across.
They say it's not just a blank look but more so a way of making rude and 'stupid' customers with unrealistic expectations check themselves without escalating to a full-blown shouting match.
After all, many service and retail workers are often paid next to nothing to put up with a whole load of grief from the likes of Boomers.
One Instagram user fumed: "Comes off as rude and disinterested. If you choose to work in customer service or customer facing roles and act like this is, it’s not cute. If you don’t like the company you work for, then work somewhere else.
"Don’t take it out on the people who come to your work, keeping your company in business so that you have a job. We all have to work, and it’s not always fun. The stare is not a good look."
A second piped up: "It's basic decency to communicate with people and they're lacking on communication skills. Period. You don't have to put everyone 'in their place'."
"Probably nothing behind those eyes but brainrot," chirped a third, while a fourth chimed in: "Same people who'd behave this way would also react the most badly if it were done to them!"
Others, however, clearly didn't think it was that deep.
"People are acting like this is the first time in history that people in their twenties are slightly rude," pointed out one user. "The disinterested waitress is a trope for a reason, y’all."
Another agreed: "I don't see anybody talking about the older generations that do this. It's not just a Gen Z problem bro. It's everyone. I'm a barista and there are HUNDREDS of Gen X, boomers, etc. EVERY DAY who pretend they don't hear me asking them normal questions.
"Stop blaming the youth for everything. Stop putting up dividers of gender, age, and ability. Societal problems are SOCIETY'S PROBLEM."
And a final Instagram user explained: "If you ask me a dumb question like 'how much is this' while holding an object with a price sticker on it, I will stare at you as a natural reflex. The price is right there. Use your eyes. If your response to 'hi how are you?' is your drink order, I will stare at you for half a second.
"If you ask a question I JUST gave the answer to, I will stare at you. If we're out of something and you ask 'why?', I will stare at you. If you yell at me while I calmly explain to you how something works, I will stare at you. Use your brain and we'll stop giving you the stare. That's the Gen Z stare."
Fair enough, if you ask me.
Topics: Gen Z, Life, Social Media, TikTok
Rhiannon Ingle